Old skool skiing

[mart]

Hi, not sure where to post this. Please move if nesessary.

I'm trying to find out about skis and bindings for regular boots. I'd like to be able to ski over snow rather than wade through it but i dont want to have to limit my activities by wearing ski boots. I'll bet when people started skiing they were wearing leather boots. I know lundhags make boots with a square sole at the toe so presumably these work with some kind of nordic binding but I'm stuggling to find out about this. My sportiva nepal extreme boots will be more ridgid than lundhags huskys so i'm thinking it should be possible with the right skis and bindings.
Is anyone clued up on this sort of thing?
Any thoughts welcome.

Regards, Mart.

 

[Retired Member southey]

Welcome to the world of telemark skiing, something i love, I use Alico leather boots with 75mm telemark norm toe bindings, and a set of voilie free heel bindings mounted on archer piste skis, it gives me the ability to ski piste on\off, back country and crosscountry even uphill, Have a look at breamar mountain sports for kit or craigdon mountain sports, i buy my bindings direct from voilie as it sometimes works out cheaper, have a look for skis from last season you really want something with a good float so not to skinny but also as you may want to trail break on fresh snow not too fat either and nothing too long i use 170 and im 6 foot tall, there are a lot of different combinations and a lot of info out there for this style of skiing, google is your friend chap, Have fun, be warned though that the lower the boot the more likly you will damage you ankle, I really would suggest you get some instruction first, there is a good school in the Cairgorm national park the will run courses from the first decent snow,

 

[mart]

Right oh I'm pleased you were on tonight. I'm absorbing your post now. If I assemble the gear I thought of getting a LOT of practice basicly as close to home bottom poss. if we get snow this year, like last year. Then head to the hills next winter.
Alico leather boots; They look higher but floppy-er than my nepals. Would that even things out? or does it not work like that?
Thanks for the info.

Mart

 

[mart]

there is a good school in the Cairgorm national park the will run courses from the first decent snow,

Have you any info on that. I might be in Coire an t'Sneachda this feb/march.

 

[Retired Member southey]

my boots are pretty much ankle high, i like them as i prefer to have more freedom but if i was starting out i think i would perhapse go for something higher, but it is kind of a moot point as if you are going to break something it will still happen just the location changes, but on the fun side, if you have a look around at some of the bindings(they are sometimes called freeheal bindings or tele bindings or nordic bindings) there are lots of difering styles, the cheapest(and in my view the best) the the 75mm nordic norm these come in a few flavors of the most simple three pin typr that have no moving parts and rely on locating three pins(hence the name) into the toe(the square bit sticking out the front) to keep the ski attatched to you, the they move up to having a clamp which fixes the toe in position while st leaving the heal free(so less energy neded for forward motion) but these are prone to detactching if going down hill and taking a tumble, then you can have the same toe with a heel strap binding that clamps your boot into the toe clamp(very secure and easy to clip on and off as needed this is what i use) and it goes on up, you can get a mount that detaches the whole binding incase of a fall, if you intend to teah your self the i recomend you get a set as they will save your legs from anything to nasty, I will get some links to some good sites for info, It is great fun chap and very liberating to get out in the snow, obviously heed any avalance warnings and becareful not to go to far when you start as will be suprised how much ground can be coverd when you get into a good rythem,

 

[Retired Member southey]

Here you go dude I havent used them just recomendation from a lot of friends skiskool

and a lot of good info here Teletips

 

[forestwalker]

I use the Tesnäs Epok binding

There is a US product, Berwin, of the same style, and a Swidha co opany (Olskogen) also makes a similar binding. All of these work with pretty much any boot with a hardish sole (i.e. no moccasins).

Or you could look at the Tesnäs, pick up some leather and make your own.

 

[Retired Member southey]

Thats a great looking binding FW, Im itching to get some wooden more traditional skis, hope we stll get snow down here this year else itll be a long driv north, or a shoet flight east

 

[mart]

Wow, Thanks for your help its much appreciated. Avalanche wise I always consult sais and or kintail MRT's conditions central before heading out (I've been a winter climber for donkeys ) Ukc forums is about the only place for lakes avalanche info, its also great for winter climbing beta and pretty much all things 'mountain' Also, the story in this link is a sobering tale.
http://freespace.virgin.net/alec.greening/index.html

Kind Regards, Martin.

 

[mart]

Sorry, that was the wrong link, try this.
http://www.planetfear.com/blog.php?id=209

 

[Gill]

Never done this but i noticed there are brand new swedish army boots on ebay just now with the square toe to take skis.

 

[Retired Member southey]

Just a little note on boots, if you go for all leather most dont have liners for insulation, so allow enough room for two thick sock, I still wear issue white woollen socks, they have an inner and an outer pair the outer have a red stitch running round the top,i wear a size 10 but my boots are a size 11 and that works for me, i allso have a pair of yeti gaiters(thekind that cover the whole upper of the boot and up to your knee) this keeps my boots dry,

 

[mart]

Ideally I'd like to wear these boots, wich are my usuall winter climbing boots.

http://www.alaskahunts.net/alaska/nepalextreme.jpg

That way I could take off the skis and put on my crampons, then Roberts your mothers brother